Fire Department –The Department has not had any major EMS events in Duncanville this week, but responded to five (5) structure fires this week:
• 1503 Marshall Dr. – occurred today. Cause appears to be from charging a battery operated ATV which over heated the battery causing it to catch fire. The back porch was involved in fire.
• 326 E Davis St. The occupant was working in the garage when he spilled gasoline. The pilot light from the water heater ignited the vapors. The structure was not inhabitable.
• 706 Lakeside Dr. at Lakeside Baptist Church – two separate incidents. The structure received minor damage and both fires were a result of arson. The structure has since been boarded up to secure the interior.
• 1406 Candlelight apartments. This was a minor fire, but also appears to have been intentionally set. The fire self-extinguished because of no air. The room of origin was smoked up, but no water was applied.
The quick response from our Fire Department is limiting the amount of damage to the structures.
Fire Prevention installed 58 smoke alarms in District 2 on Saturday.
Public Works – Water usage was 28.576 MG the week of April 23 through April 29, up from 26.099 MG the prior week. The daily peak water demand occurred on Friday, April 27, when 4.662 MG was used. There was 0.00 inches of precipitation that week.
Dallas County did not report any positive West Nile traps this week. Even so, continued use of an insect repellent containing DEET and removal of all areas of standing water is recommended. Insect repellent and mosquito dunks are available for Duncanville residents at the Building Inspection counter at City Hall. Residents should report dirty pools at abandoned homes where mosquitos are likely to breed to Code Services at 972780-5040.
Construction Update:
• The Street Division concrete construction crew removed and replaced 536 square feet of damaged sidewalks at 219, 227, 231, 235, and 239 W. Fain and 803 Smith Street.
• The Street Division asphalt crew repaired and modified the creek crossing on the Lakeside Park trail.
• Viking Construction began micro-surfacing selected streets throughout the city. They are using the City’s impound lot for their staging area for about three weeks.
• La Banda Contractors completed the tie-in at Vinyard Road and Main Street on Tuesday, May 1. Weather is prohibiting the completion of the remainder of the punch list for the FY18 Water Improvements project. The project is scheduled to be complete next week.
Library — Through a generous gift from the Friends of the Duncanville Library, the library was able to purchase a set of colorful metal pegboard panels that we have installed in the children’s area. We are awaiting the delivery of several magnetic interactive elements to use with the wall in what will be our new “Discovery Zone.” These elements will include various activities that are often found in children’s science museums and can be switched out seasonally to explore new topics and learning possibilities. Once again, we are very grateful for the generosity of our Friends!
As a result of our April Cleanout Days, Goodwill Industries reported they collected 4600 pounds of materials from 66 donors, which equates to approximately 128 hours of employment for the people they serve. Goodwill Industries provides employment and training for persons with disabilities including physical challenges, cognitive disorders, limited education, homelessness, and welfare dependency.
Parks and Recreation
Parks:
• Two members of our Athletics Maintenance Crew attended the FC Dallas Field Day for athletic turf maintenance personnel. It was a great opportunity to learn from turf professionals and discuss best practices with their peers in other cities.
Recreation:
• A big note of appreciation to Mr. Frank Torres, our newest Recreation Attendant. During his first week as a Rec Team member he showed great initiative by deep cleaning and buffing the gymnasium floors, the upstairs walking track, as well as the Teen Room and kitchen midway area. Kudos for his initiative and service to our customers!
• Registration for Summer Camp 2018 officially opened Tuesday, May 1. There are only 50 spots available. Some of the field trips planned include the Perot Museum, Altitude Trampoline Park, Cinemark Movies – Incredibles II, the Fort Worth Zoo and the Dallas Aquarium.
• With the excitement of our new cardio equipment, we continue to strive to provide optimal service and high-performance products for our customers. We have recently experienced some obstacles and are working to find resolutions. 1. A reconfiguration of all new cardio equipment has been performed to access private, dedicated internet access on each machine. This will provide a higher internet speed, allowing for better streaming during workouts.
2. We have contacted DISH Network and Precor, the equipment manufacturer, for technical assistance with recurring monitor issues. We hope to get a resolution next week.
3. Our next service enhancement will include current Recreation Center information on the display screens of all cardio machines.
Fieldhouse:
• Improvements — structure painting has been completed and a new green court divider curtain is scheduled to be installed the week of June 1. Concrete improvements and stamped concrete overlay will be completed during the next two weeks. New signage is scheduled to be installed the week of June 4 and will include structure signs, pole sign and monument sign.
• This coming week we have: o Hoop One Youth Basketball Camp – Friday, Saturday and Sunday o Jr. Sports & Recreation Youth Basketball League Playoffs – Sunday o Fieldhouse Feeder Men’s League – Sunday
Economic Development – ED staff is providing support and working on the following projects:
• Met with the Duncanville Logo Advisory Committee and received the results of the logo survey. The survey had 569 unique visitors and 249 responses. The consultants will bring back draft logo designs for the Committee to review and consider during its next meeting. The Committee will then make recommendations for City Council to consider.
• With the Development Team, met with the property owner of 1204 Crest Lane to discuss development options for the property.
• With Public Works staff, assisted Masco Cabinetry with issues they were having with their Fire Suppression System.
The DCEDC Board will hold a special called meeting on May 7, 2018, at 7 p.m., at City Hall in the City Council Briefing Room.
The La Quinta Inn and Suites anticipates opening in June and has indicated they will have a ribbon-cutting event to which they will invite City Council.
Certificate of Occupancy (CO) Permits Issued: • None this week
Certificate of Occupancy (CO) Applications Received • Providence Title Company; 336 S Cedar Ridge Dr. (Title Insurance Office) • Workout Anytime; 111 S Cedar Ridge Dr. Ste. # 118 (Health & Fitness Facility) • WTB Service Co. L.P.; 102 N Main St. (Corporate Office) • Master Touch Elite; 631 E Hwy 67 Suite #A (Auto Repair & Accessories)
Public Information – Telemundo is planning a live news broadcast event on May 10, 2018, at Armstrong Park from 3:00p to 6:00p. They will have 2 hours of live news coverage featuring Duncanville, its offerings, positive stories and programs/events offered by the City. They will be inviting viewers to come to the park. The City coordinated with them this past week to have our recreation specialist, a police officer and Library Director Julio Velasquez do some sound bites and news feeds with them in Spanish. We look forward to working with Telemundo and the opportunity to showcase Duncanville
Patrick Harvey 